6 Ways The Ferrari F12tdf Was Transformed Into The Ultimate Lightweight V12 Track Monster

If there’s one sentence that could never be uttered in the presence of a Ferrari F12, "it’s not fast enough" is surely it. Looks like Maranello’s finest disagree, however, as Ferrari has just revealed the F12tdf, a heavily upgraded, lightweight F12 race car for the road.

First, the name; ‘tdf’ stands for Tour de France, but before you start thinking Ferrari has lost its marbles and named a car after everyone’s favourite performance enhancing drugs competition, it actually gets its moniker from an endurance race from the 1950s and 60s, which Ferrari dominated.

Now we’ve got that seemingly odd name out of the way, what do you need to know? Well, essentially, this is an F12 Speciale, which means added lightness, horsepower, and sheer theatre - oh, and only 799 will be built, so it’s super exclusive. Interested? Here’s everything you need to know about the Ferrari F12tdf…

1. More power, more torque, more everything

Ferrari has resisted the urge to strap turbos to the F12 - for now, at least - and has used the same 6.3-litre naturally-aspirated V12 as found in the standard F12. It’s been completely reworked, however, with race-inspired mechanical tappets and ‘variable-geometry intake trumpets used on Formula 1 cars which help boost volumetric efficiency at high revs.’

In English, that means way more bang for your right boot; 769bhp (up from 730bhp) and 520lb ft of torque (increased from 509lb ft). What’s more important than those headline numbers is the fact that while maximum torque comes in at 6750rpm, 80 per cent of that torque is available from way down low at 2500rpm, resulting in monumental shove in any gear at any speed, all the way to the 8900rpm red line.

Those numbers translate to a 0-62mph time of 2.9sec and 0-124mph in 7.9sec; the F12tdf laps Ferrari’s test track, Fiorano, in 1min 21sec - that’s less than two seconds slower than a LaFerrari.

2. Added lightness everywhere

To go faster, first you must go lighter, and Ferrari has most certainly gone lighter with this car. By redesigning the bodywork, interior, engine internals, and the running gear, it has slashed a whopping 110kg off the car’s overall weight. This has mostly been achieved by slapping carbonfibre in every nook and cranny.

3. Massive increase in downforce

That redesigned bodywork wasn’t just in aid of the F12tdf’s diet plan, it was also to increase downforce by a frankly ludicrous 87 per cent. According to Ferrari, the car’s aerodynamic efficiency figure is 1.6, making its aero nearly twice as effective as the standard F12’s setup - in raw numbers, that’s 230kg of downforce at 124mph, an increase of 107kg.

To achieve this, Ferrari made the rear wing longer and taller, fitted an active rear diffuser, and redesigned the aero bridge, among other things.

4. Virtual Short Wheelbase (rear wheel steering)

To improve the F12tdf’s cornering dyanimcs, Ferrari has increased the ratio of the front tyres compared to the rears. To compensate the fact this makes the big Ferrari a bit of a drift monster, it has a rear-wheel steering system called Virtual Short Wheelbase.

This gives advantages at low speeds where cornering agility is improved, as well as stability at higher speeds.

5. Exceptional braking performance

Now the F12 is going a hell of a lot faster than before, it’d be irresponsible not to go all out on the brakes, and Ferrari has spared no expense. The tdf gets the Extreme Design one-piece brake callipers fitted to the LaFerrari, resulting in face melting braking performance: in just 30.5 metres you’ll go from 62mph to a standstill, while braking to a stop from 124mph takes 121 metres.

6. Shorter ratios

Ferrari has fiddled with the gear ratios to make the most of its uprated performance. The F12tdf gets its own version of the F1 dual clutch transmission with six per cent shorter gear ratios, 30 per cent faster upshifts, and 40 per cent faster downshifts.